If you enjoyed Netflix’s The Maid you’ll love Margo!
Margo has always known she was white trash. Her birth was the result of a one-night stand between If you enjoyed Netflix’s The Maid you’ll love Margo!
Margo has always known she was white trash. Her birth was the result of a one-night stand between a Hooters waitress and a married pro-wrestler. At the time her mother didn’t even know her father’s real name, only his ring alias. Now, 19-year-old freshman Margo is in the same predicament, pregnant by her older married community college professor. Within weeks of her son Bodhi’s birth she has quit college, been fired from her waitress job, two out of three of her roommates have moved out, and the father of her baby has ghosted her. Out of options, and desperate to make quick money, Margo creates an account on OnlyFans uploading topless photos of herself in order to gain paid subscribers.
Margo was in a bind and had a steep learning curve ahead. But as tough as things were for her Margo was resilient, determined, savvy, intelligent, and had a straightforward, honest, sarcastic way of narrating. She was also irresponsible and overly trusting. I was completely in her corner rooting for her to succeed and find happiness. My heart broke for her as she was barely twenty and had been let down by everyone her entire life. All she wanted was support and love. No wonder she wanted a baby who would love her unconditionally. I would’ve preferred more focus on Margo adjusting to new motherhood instead of her financial woes as her interactions with Bodhi were hilarious, but I can’t really complain as it was explicitly stated in the title what the focal point would be.
I couldn’t help being entertained over Margo’s experience with OnlyFans and other social media. Yes, she was being exploited, but the combination of Margo’s business sense, detailed research, and writing skills (she was majoring in English in college) meant she had the control, well as much as she could in that situation anyway – not saying it was all smooth sailing. The writing was blunt and direct and included graphic descriptions of male and female genitalia, bodily functions, sexual content and sexual slang, and drug use. I wasn’t fazed as it fit the tone of the novel and the personality of the narrator, and was usually conveyed in an amusing way, but to decide if this book is the right fit for you, I suggest listening to or reading a sample first.
I flitted between the kindle and audio, and the audio was phenomenal, read by Elle Fanning, the perfect voice for Margo, and the cover image even looks a lot like her. And it’s lucky I loved her performance as Apple TV is turning Margo’s Got Money Troubles into a limited series, and Elle Fanning is set to star. Yay!
If you enjoy reading about characters who are a train wreck, yet are strong, tough, and fascinating then I highly-recommend Margo’s Got Money Troubles. I adored it!...more
Will a second chance at living convince Delphie to live her best life?
27-year-old Delphie is a recluse who spends the majority of her time holed-up inWill a second chance at living convince Delphie to live her best life?
27-year-old Delphie is a recluse who spends the majority of her time holed-up in her flat. Even though she’s lived in London all her life she only knows three people, an elderly neighbour, and her two work colleagues.
One evening while eating dinner (alone in her flat as per always) Delphie chokes to death. She regains consciousness in a place called Evermore, where her young, bouncy, vibrant, talkative, afterlife therapist of all things, informs her she is dead.
While Delphie is struggling to get her head around the devastating news, she is distracted by a new arrival, a guy around her age. Delphie and the guy’s physical attraction is instantaneous, and their conversation flows naturally. Has she just met her soulmate?
But unfortunately, the man of her dreams is merely in a state of deep unconsciousness, and a moment later he is gone, back among the living. During their brief conversation Delphie only uncovered two things about him – his first name is Jonah, and he’s also from London.
Just when Delphie thinks all is lost, turns out her afterlife therapist is a big believer in true love, so the two strike a deal – Delphie can return to earth for ten days. If she hasn’t received a kiss from Jonah by that time she is fated to die again – permanently! A further complication, Jonah doesn’t remember meeting her in Evermore, his memory was wiped clean when he returned to earth.
The race is on to track Jonah down in time. Is a woman with few social skills and little life experience up to the task? Delphie intends to give it all she’s got.
Tick-tock!
The innovative premise, inventive title, and gorgeous cover really captured my attention, well that and Goodreads friends glowing reviews. And The Love of My Afterlife not only exceeded my expectations, but also contained some surprising twists for a romantic comedy. It was sexy, sweet, utterly satisfying, hilarious, magical, gave off Cinderella vibes, and contained several of my favourite romantic tropes, which need to remain under wraps. Delphie’s quest to find Jonah really brought her out of both her shell, and her comfort zone, and everyone who helped her along the way impacted and enriched her life in ways she couldn’t possibly have imagined or predicted. As you know I prefer my rom coms with a side of real-world issues which this novel contained in spades – there were traumatic reasons why Delphie had chosen to hide away from the world. Also, I adored all the mentions of fictional romantic leads from books, TV, and movies.
I chose to read the audiobook and Sofia Oxenham’s performance was magnificent and charming – I couldn’t have asked for a better experience – her voice for Merritt (the afterlife therapist) was a lot of fun.
The contemporary romances released this year have consistently been of a high calibre, and for me have out shined other genres, and Kirsty Greenwood’s, The Love of My Afterlife was a further highlight and top favourite read for 2024. It will be my pleasure to explore this author’s past titles.
Those who thought they knew Oliver Ryan were shocked to learn that he had assaulted his wife Alice so badly that Liz Nugent is now an Auto-buy Author!
Those who thought they knew Oliver Ryan were shocked to learn that he had assaulted his wife Alice so badly that she resides in a coma, unlikely to recover. The couple had been married for nearly thirty years and Oliver has never displayed any violent tendencies, has he? But can their memories of the man be trusted? Because hurting Alice is far from the worst thing Oliver has done.
Last year, I finally got around to reading Liz Nugent, and Unravelling Oliver is now the third novel I have read by her, and all have been five star reads. Right from the first page Oliver was a cold, manipulative, controlling, bully, but how he came to be that way definitely wrecked me, not that it excuses his actions as an adult. The various POV’s of those who encountered Oliver in life-altering ways were all interesting, exciting and tense. The majority of the book read like a contemporary drama saga but with chilling undertones, and once the entire story was revealed, I was left shocked and stunned.
The audiobook was one of the best I’ve ever read. A different narrator voiced each character and every aspect of their various personalities shone through – loved the various Irish and French accents, and the chapter narrated by Alice’s disabled brother, Eugene, was incredible – I listened to it twice.
I’m so happy to have discovered Liz Nugent, I have another library audiobook of hers coming up which I can’t wait to dive into. Unravelling Oliver is a not-to-be-missed must read. As was Strange Sally Diamond and Skin Deep....more
It’s the two-year anniversary since Ali Morris lost her mother to cancer, and exactly one year later herSummer Romance was deliciously delightful!
4.5.
It’s the two-year anniversary since Ali Morris lost her mother to cancer, and exactly one year later her husband Pete announced he was leaving her. (Yes, you heard that right, he asked for a divorce on the anniversary of her mum’s death. Pete’s a tool!)
Understandably, Ali’s been struggling to cope, she’s still grieving both losses, and at thirty-eight years old is now a single mum to three kids and a dog. But what starts as a ‘meet ugly’ in the dog park turns out to be a surprise ‘meet cute’ – new-guy-in-town-for the-summer Ethan not only appears to find her attractive but also seems genuinely interested in her. Maybe a summer fling is just what Ali needs? And there’s something familiar about Ethan?
My favourite contemporary romances are those that are light, fun, sweet, and amusing with a side of serious real-world issues and Summer Romance delivered on all counts. I appreciated that Ali and Ethan didn't exist in a vacuum and faced many internal and external obstacles - were constantly interrupted by children, animals, neighbours, family, friends, ex’s and professional and personal obligations. One of my favourite romantic tropes is the toxic ex or ex’s as I like knowing that the characters are going to get their happily ever after this time around and get to experience how they deserve to be treated and loved. Another romantic trope I enjoy is a first person single POV, as I like not knowing what the romantic interest is feeling, and in this case, whether Ethan would stay or leave at the end of the summer. This small New York town sounded amazing - what with the beach, and the family-owned inn and diner - love a small-town, close-knit, ‘everyone-up-in-each-others-business’ romance.
Kristen DiMercurio narrated the novel in a lively, vibrant way, and used a wide range of emotions for Ali’s voice. She nailed every note - my kind of audio listen.
I’ll definitely be hunting down Annabel Monaghan’s backlist....more
It’s the start of the summer and the arrival of the elite, cultured, seductive Richardsons – husband Elin Hilderbrand’s Last Hurrah was Pure Escapism!
It’s the start of the summer and the arrival of the elite, cultured, seductive Richardsons – husband and wife Bull and Leslee – has Nantucket locals in an excited frenzy.
Everybody who is anybody is dying to be invited to one of the extravagant, exclusive parties at their newly-purchased, twenty-two-million-dollar, seaside mansion – 888 Pocomo Road – but only a select few will be deemed worthy to glide its halls.
Fast forward to August and the Richardsons are persona non grata. What happened?
Then on the evening of August 22nd a double tragedy strikes the Richardsons. While partying out to sea aboard their yacht (with some non-locals) they receive a call from the Fire Chief to say their house is ablaze. And when their boat docks, they are one person short – a young woman is missing presumed to have gone overboard. Did she fall? Did she purposefully jump? Or was she pushed?
It’s time for the Richardsons to face the music.
Swan Song was an indulgence. I relished all the juicy interpersonal melodrama, scandalous behaviour, betrayals, sweet romances, emotional highs and lows, side of mystery, and immense wealth and privilege. It was hard for me not to daydream over what it would be like to be one of these characters living the dream in a lap of luxury on Nantucket (lobster rolls, yes please). The descriptions of 888 Pocomo Road and everything within its walls (clothes, food, etc) were hilariously insane – fascinating yes, but such an over-the-top waste of money. There were a good mix of spoilt unlikeable characters coupled with more down-to-earth ones to keep me happy and entertained.
It’s the fourth in a series but can be enjoyed by itself. I’ve only read #3 The Perfect Couple (5 stars), meaning some of the characters were familiar to me, but most were new to Swan Song and specific to this story. And any that were regulars were introduced with all the relevant information from the previous instalments.
I’m sorry to report that after thirty fictional books set on Nantucket, Elin Hilderbrand is retiring so sadly Swan Song is her last release. I wish her the best, and luckily for me I still have a lot of her backlist to read including the first two in this series.
I devoured the audiobook, and Laurence Bouvard was sensational. I see she has also narrated some of this author’s previous books which makes me so happy. Elin Hilderbrand read the final chapter which left me misty-eyed.
The Vacation Really Surprised Me – In the best way possible!
During a long hot summer in Los Angeles, nine travellers from all walks of life and cornerThe Vacation Really Surprised Me – In the best way possible!
During a long hot summer in Los Angeles, nine travellers from all walks of life and corners of the globe – Tommy, Jake, Nicole, Eric, Savannah, Ruth, Jane, Declan, and Matty – have checked into the Venice Beach International Hostel. They are there for a variety of reasons – some are on a mission, others are trying to find themselves, and all are trying to escape and outrun trauma and tragedy in their past. By the end of their stay, for better or worse, all their secrets will be exposed.
Because the past never stays buried!
The Vacation was John Marrs’ first novel, republished and rebranded in 2021, originally published under the title Welcome to Wherever You Are back in 2015. I feel the former title was a more fitting one, as none of the characters were really there on vacation, well not the kind of vacation most of us picture as one anyway. The Travellers would’ve worked better. Also, the cover art of the edition I read doesn’t work for me, as floating in an inflatable pool ring had nothing to do with this novel, as like I said, it wasn’t that kind of vacation, and It’s misleading to readers.
For some reason I went into The Vacation thinking it was a locked room Agatha Christie style mystery. I have no idea why I thought this or where I got my information from, as I was way off. This novel was mainly drama, soap opera, action, character study, with elements of thriller, suspense, crime, and romance thrown in (like any good soap opera, right?). And even though the plot wasn’t what I was expecting, and despite it being completely different from anything else John Marrs has written, I absolutely loved it. I loved the camaraderie and friendships that developed between the hostel guests, and the idea of like-minded strangers being drawn to one another in the most difficult of circumstances when they really needed each other most. And that being surrounded by supportive people also taught them to stand on their own two feet.
There were ninety-eight short chapters, plus a prologue and epilogue, mainly unfolding from the POV’s of the nine guests, but occasionally narrated by other’s as well. Chapters were usually divided into two parts – the present, and then a flashback to how the character narrating got to where they are. I cannot emphasise just how much drama there was, so trigger warnings for nearly every topic, but nothing too graphic. There were definitely serious scenes, situations, and topics, but they were conveyed in that soap-operish kind of way, if you know what I mean? I should also mention that there were a lot of characters, but I never struggled to keep track of who was who.
I’m thrilled over how much I enjoyed The Vacation and am happy to name it as one of my top reads so far this year, and probably my favourite John Marrs.
I’d like to thank Netgalley, Pan Macmillan, and John Marrs for the e-ARC. ...more
On the night Angus Stoat proposes to Gabby Alvarez in a NYC midtown bar, Gabby’s best friend Natalie Shapiro meeNo one-star rating from me! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
On the night Angus Stoat proposes to Gabby Alvarez in a NYC midtown bar, Gabby’s best friend Natalie Shapiro meets Angus’ best friend Rob Kapinsky for the first time. Their banter is fun and flirtatious, there’s a definite vibe, but Natalie has a boyfriend and Rob has a plane to catch so they somewhat reluctantly part ways, but occasionally text over the next year and a half.
Their second meeting at Angus and Gabby‘s wedding is decidedly less friendly, in fact it’s downright hostile. Natalie now hates Rob because he had the nerve to give her first novel a one-star rating on Goodreads. Rob feels justifiably disappointed in Natalie after what he discovered she’d written on page 28.
But, over the years they keep crossing paths, unable to avoid each other because of their shared connection through their best friends. And every time they come into contact, they can’t help being drawn to one another, and unwittingly an attraction is growing between them. Will Natalie and Rob ever admit that they have feelings for one another?
Out of all the contemporary romantic comedies that I have rated five stars this year, and this includes Katherine Center’s, The Rom-Commersand Emily Henry’s, Funny Story, Laura Hankin’s, One-Star Romance is my top favourite for 2024. I would even go as far as to say that it’s one of my top romances of all time. I loved it! If I had to compare it to anything I would say that it shares commonalities with the Katherine Heigl 2010 movie, Life as We Know it, and the TV series Love Life (2020) starring Anna Kendrick.
One-Star Romance contained several of my most favourite romantic tropes including enemies to lovers, hate to love, slow-burn, forced proximity, forced to share a bed, love triangle, and open-door (although not quite all the way ...more
The third rule of Camp Emerson is the most important, ‘When lost sit down and yell.’
Just like the battle cry of Pan: The Greek God of the Woods.
SituatThe third rule of Camp Emerson is the most important, ‘When lost sit down and yell.’
Just like the battle cry of Pan: The Greek God of the Woods.
Situated in the Adirondack Mountains is the Van Laar Preserve. Atop its ridge is the Van Laar’s colossal summer home, named Self-Reliance. Far below, is the camp they own, Camp Emerson, which is open to campers eight weeks of the year (June to August).
July 1961: 8-year-old, Peter “Bear” Van Laar the fourth (the only child of Peter the third and his wife Alice) vanishes without a trace while hiking with his grandfather (Peter II) in the Adirondacks near the family home Self-Reliance. Following an extensive search no trace of him is ever found.
August 1975: The girls in Balsam cabin, Camp Emerson, awaken to find 13-year-old Barbara’s bunk bed empty. Barbara’s surname is also Van Laar – she’s Bear’s younger sister, born after his disappearance, to replace the void he left.
Is the Van Laar line cursed?
Surely it can’t be a coincidence that they’re two children from the same privileged family!
Or are they simply two separate unrelated tragedies?
What happened to Bear, and then Barbara?
If I could rate The God of the Woods 14 stars (for the 14 cabins of Camp Emerson) then I absolutely positivity would, but I guess 5 stars is enough to convey just how immersive, momentous, and affecting it was. A flawlessly written epic masterpiece of literary suspense fiction, and deep dive character study. There were twists that left me reeling over how shockingly clever they were, and Liz Moore’s use of misdirection and carefully concealed clues were meticulously placed. Every once and a while there is a book that comes along that is so special that I find myself taking much longer than normal to read it, inhaling every word, and taking frequent breaks to reflect on the plot, and characters, to prolong the experience, and The God of the Woods was one such example.
The story contained many gothic elements which increased my sense of unease and claustrophobia tenfold. A prickling sensation at the back of my neck permeated the novel from the very first page. First up, was the secluded setting, far enough away from the nearest town of Shattuck to be isolating, surrounded by endless wilderness and the looming Hunt Mountain, with Lake Joan cutting them off even further. Then there were the dilapidated log cabins, once used for hunting parties, complete with unused fireplaces, whose chimneys were occasionally inhabited by bats. Not to mention the origins of Self-Reliance – there was something off-putting and out-of-place about it previously being a Chalet in Switzerland, transported by ship to New York piece-by-piece and then reassembled on the Van Laar Preserve. As expected, there were numerous campfire style legends circulating – whispered stories warning of Slitter, of Scary Mary, and Old John. And last but not least, the plot was built around not one, but two disturbing enthralling mysteries.
Those who know me are aware that I love a summer camp setting and this novel contained everything I wanted in one – new friendships, secretive and untrustworthy behaviour, counsellors and campers sneaking around after dark, campfires, sing-a-longs, swimming, hiking, a camper survival trip in the woods, and an end of summer dance. The vivid and intricate descriptions of the campgrounds really brought Camp Emerson to life. There was also a handy map included at the front of the book, showing the layout of the grounds and buildings.
And I was thrilled that the author chose to set the camp story arc in the 70's – I adored the nostalgic trip, the slang, and pop culture references. The 1950’s/1960’s timelines were equally compelling. Instead of Camp Emerson, that plot focused on Self-Reliance and Peter and Alice's marriage within its walls, and of course, Bear's disappearance, and what lead up to it, and the fallout resulting from it.
The majority of the POV’s were pre-teen/teenage girls and twenty-something women (with the exception of Alice in 1975. She was 41 by this stage), and most of them were damaged or broken (and given what they'd been dealt in life I'm not surprised), beaten down and trapped by their circumstances. Back then women were considered inferior – utterly dependent on the men in their lives to make decisions for them regarding how to look, act, and behave. And a lot of the male characters in this book took advantage of this – were dismissive, controlling and abusive. Not only that when female characters were abused by men, they saw it as their failure, and thought it was them who needed to change, who needed to be more compliant. And those who did take a stand were belittled, mocked, and shunned, by both men and women, for not conforming to the norm.
Class, prejudice, injustice, and resentment was another prominent theme. With the Van Laar family and their rich, entitled friends on one side, and the locals from Shattuck (including camp staff, counsellors, household staff, and caretakers) on the other. Self-Reliance, sat high on the hill, on prominent display, lording it over everyone, literally and figuratively, looking down on people. Even its name, Self-Reliance, was an exclusion, a slap in the face for the townspeople, implying that the Van Laar’s had build it themselves with no assistance, when it had been the entire eligible male population of Shattuck who had done so, with no help from the Van Laar’s. And even the fact that the camp staff quarters were situated way down lake from Self-Reliance in the farthest south corner possible, placed in the half of the camp separated by a creek, spoke volumes.
The God of the Woods was in my opinion a smash-hit and I strongly urge everyone to read it and experience the magic for themselves. My top read for 2024 so far. Actually, a top read full stop....more
I swooned, laughed, cried, and clapped my hands in delight over The Rom-Commers!
L.A – Legendary screenwriter Charlie Yates has successfully written alI swooned, laughed, cried, and clapped my hands in delight over The Rom-Commers!
L.A – Legendary screenwriter Charlie Yates has successfully written almost every genre – except for romantic comedy. But when his hand is forced in order to get another of his scripts produced the results are disastrous. His manager has read a draft, and it is terrible.
Texas – Ten years ago, Emma Wheeler won a writing scholarship to an exclusive college, and her speciality was rom-coms. But a tragic accident on a family camping trip to celebrate her high school graduation forced her to give it all up to care for her invalid father, and younger sister.
An astonishing stroke of luck sees Emma on her way to L.A to assist her favourite screenwriter of all time. She has six weeks to rewrite Charlie’s script into something unforgettable. And by doing so she may just convince Charlie that love really does exist.
The Rom-Commers is my favourite by Katherine Center thus far, although I still have a few to read. I’m a sucker for a forced proximity romantic trope as well as the ordinary everyday person meeting a famous one especially someone they’ve admired, obsessed over, for years.
There were so many scenes I loved between Emma and Charlie – the power-washing (I need that game in my life), the edge-of-the-cliff, the donuts, and their every interaction involving the pool and diving board.
Romance aside, Emma’s tragic past, and everything her and her family had been through, and were still going through, was heart-wrenching and elevated the novel even more. Every conversation Emma had with either her father or her sister was real, raw, and heartfelt.
Due to his own insecurities, because he no longer believed in love, and since he wasn’t privy to Emma’s innermost thoughts (like us readers were) meant that at times Charlie came across as kind of a jerk in regard to his treatment of Emma. It’s an outdated trope, and I understand why some readers won’t stand for it, but for me as long as he’s not an arsehole by the end of the novel I’m more forgiving.
Now to the audiobook – I can’t fault the actual reading itself, but the narrator had an annoying habit of exhaling after sentences which is a pet peeve of mine with audiobooks as it’s really distracting and it’s all I can focus on.
Katherine Center remains an auto-buy author for me. The thing I love most about her books is that they’re so much more than just a romance between the two leads. Well, that, and they always include happy endings for everyone.
P.S. I was thrilled over Jack Stapleton making a couple of cameos, and that Hannah Brooks was mentioned (The Bodyguard is my second favourite Katherine Center)....more
The second week of June is 12-year-old Thea Fox’s favourite time of year – it even beats Christmas!
Because every summer Thea’s parents – Cora and JohnThe second week of June is 12-year-old Thea Fox’s favourite time of year – it even beats Christmas!
Because every summer Thea’s parents – Cora and John – drive her, her 10-year-old brother Rem, and their dog Cocoa all the way from their home in Fredericksburg, Virginia to Redbud Hollow, Nebraska to spend two wondrous weeks with their beloved Grammie – Lucy Lannigan. Their carefree days and nights at their Grammie’s tranquil house nestled in the hollow surrounded by nature, are filled with joy, laughter, and music – hiking the hills to visit neighbours, walking the dogs in the trees, making soaps and candles, watching the stars while eating homemade sundaes on the back porch – even the chores are fun!
Meanwhile, back in Fredericksburg, Cora and John enjoy two blissful weeks alone together, acting like newlyweds – more in love with every passing year.
But a week into their stay at Grammie’s, tragedy strikes. Cora and John are murdered in their home – targeted by a sick monster named Ray Riggs.
Days later, with Thea’s unique assistance, Ray is captured by police, and sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole. How? Because Thea and her parent's killer are unwittingly connected. Both have psychic visions – can see and feel what others are thinking, including each other. Thea’s ability is a pure gift, born of light and hope, which she uses to help people, to save lives, and never for personal gain. Ray reserves his for pure evil – to manipulate, blackmail, stalk, hurt, and kill. And when Thea dreams of Ray in his prison cell the psychic link between them is strengthened, and over the years Thea struggles to block him out. And all Ray Riggs wants is for Thea to pay for what she did to him – it’s his sole reason for existing.
Nora Roberts latest novel of romantic suspense, family saga, with a paranormal aspect was my favourite of hers since Carolina Moon (published in 2000). I think that one had a slight edge over Mind Games (although I think a re-read is in order to double-check that it has stood the test of time). Ray Riggs was a vicious, prevalent, psychopath, with no redeeming qualities, and the fact that he was psychic, made him even more terrifying, akin to Freddy Krueger. I’ve only seen this storyline (main character and killer connected by visions) done once before in the TV series Medium (2005 – 2011), so it was fairly unique to me, and just as chilling, particularly since Thea was 12 years old at the start. I wouldn’t go as far as to say that anything was overly graphic and gory, and I think the emotional slant that was always present helped with that, but there were violent scenes. But they remained as brief as possible and were minimal in terms of the overall plot.
However, thriller subplot aside my main takeaway from this is that it was a novel centered on love and family. Grammie was the ultimate Grandmother, supportive, encouraging, endlessly patient and giving. Her bond with Thea was so special – how she helped her understand, accept, and control her gift – a gift that all the women on Thea’s mother’s and Grammie’s side shared going back generations. The family unit made up of Grammie, Thea, and Rem was an unbreakable, tight-knit bond. Lucy referred to the three of them as ‘one big ball of wax’ which accurately summarises their closeness. Like all siblings, Thea and Rem would squabble, tease, and compete, but always had each others backs. Then there was the love between parent/s and children – Cora and John were only in the book for a short time, but it was obvious how much they loved Thea and Rem. As was Lucy’s love for her daughter and son-in-law (who she considered her son). Same goes for another parent/child relationship which needs to remain a secret. And, last but not least Thea’s romantic interest, who I’m also not going to reveal, because I spent the first nearly 50% of the novel thinking it was going to be someone else so let’s see if you fall for the same red herring as me! Oh, and I did enjoy who he turned out to be – wasn’t disappointed at all.
Another main theme throughout was the shock, anger, uncertainty, and grief associated not only with loss, but the violent senseless nature and suddenness of the manner in which Cora and John were ripped away, and the gaping hole, and lasting impact it left on family, friends, the community as a whole, and even strangers. I shed more than a few tears. Cora’s and John’s final moments on earth, their funeral, and Thea’s speech to detectives were heartbreaking. Kept tissues handy.
Just as important were Thea’s and Rem’s connection to their Grammie’s home – the way they were drawn to it, the sense of belonging, sanctuary, and safety it invoked (not only for them but everyone who visited) – and how they cherished and respected the land. I adored the farm to table lifestyle they embraced, taught to them by their beyond talented Grammie – the herbal medicine, customs and traditions passed down through generations, using natural ingredients in creative ways (Grammie’s homemade soaps and candles), mouth-watering food, and best of all, the dear animals (with their ingenious names). I could taste the fried chicken, breath in the mountain air, smell the lavender, hear the chickens clucking.
As you can see, I had a lot to say as there was so much about Mind Games that I loved. I could go on, but I’ll leave it there, and let you experience every high for yourself....more
Will a family that’s so broken ever be able to heal!
Six weeks ago, the Egide family – Leo, Marie, and their three children, Hannah (15), Brendon (12),Will a family that’s so broken ever be able to heal!
Six weeks ago, the Egide family – Leo, Marie, and their three children, Hannah (15), Brendon (12), and Penelope ‘Pen’ (8) – suffered a loss so great that they can no longer live in the house where it happened. So, they’re spending the summer in a small town in New Hampshire, at the large estate Marie inherited from her grandfather twenty years ago, which has sat vacant ever since. The plan is to get it ready to sell, but living in a cabin in the woods on the property is a woman named Davina (who’s own life has been marred by tragedy). Davina had a verbal agreement with Marie’s grandfather that she could live at the cabin as long as she needed, and she has no intention of leaving. Battle lines are drawn – a feud that will divide the Egide family, divide the community.
‘It’s easy to cast stones when you’re not the one being asked to make the sacrifice.’
Where Butterflies Wander was a novel about a family in crisis – Marie’s grief, bitterness, jealousy, resentment and anger was often so strong that it hindered her children’s healing journey. Even though I had a huge amount of sympathy and empathy for what Marie was going through, her selfishness and entitlement meant I liked her character the least, so it was a relief that I only had to spend every sixth chapter in her head. Every family member, plus Davina narrated. Davina, Hannah, and Pen were my favourites. The novel was beautifully written, and the multiple POV’s and short chapters meant this was a quick, steady-paced read. The story reminded me a lot of something Jodi Picoult might write. And while it wasn’t as impacting or shocking as Suzanne Redfearn’s, In An Instant, it was still a powerful, heartfelt, inspiring, emotional read focusing on trauma, recovery, and forgiveness. I’m glad I read it!
I’d like to thank Netgalley, Lake Union Publishing, and Suzanne Redfearn for the e-ARC....more
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